The children’s flu vaccine helps protect against flu. Flu can be a very unpleasant illness for children and getting immunised will protect them and others in your family who may be at a higher risk of the flu.
In Wigan, flu immunisation is being offered to children aged 2-3 years, school-aged children (Reception to Year 11), and children with certain long-term health conditions.
What is the flu?
Influenza, also known as flu, is a very common and highly infectious disease caused by a virus.
It can be very dangerous and lead to serious complications, especially for vulnerable people, such as children.
Flu leads to hundreds of thousands of GP visits and tens of thousands of hospital stays a year.
Children with flu have the same symptoms as adults – including fever, chills, aching muscles, headache, stuffy nose, dry cough and a sore throat lasting up to a week.
Some children develop a very high fever or complications of flu, such as bronchitis (external link), pneumonia (external link) and a painful ear infection (external link).
As well as protecting individual children, getting the flu vaccine helps to reduce the spread of the disease to family and friends, and so reduces the chance of passing on the flu virus to other people who may be at risk of serious complications from flu.
How the children’s flu vaccine is given
The children’s flu vaccine is usually given as a quick and painless nasal spray in each nostril – no injection is needed. Most children only need a single dose of the nasal spray.
The nasal spray helps protect against flu, has been given to millions of children worldwide and has an excellent safety record.
The flu immunisation does not give you the flu! There is no evidence that healthy unvaccinated people can catch flu from the nasal flu spray.
How can I get my child vaccinated?
The children’s flu vaccine is offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter.
Children who are aged 2 or 3 years can get the flu vaccine at their GP surgery, but some Wigan practices may be approaching nurseries to offer the nasal spray within the nursery.
Most school-aged children (Reception to Year 11) get their flu vaccine at school. You should get an invitation from your child’s school to get their vaccine, usually during the autumn term.
Children with certain long-term health conditions that put them at higher risk from flu can get a flu vaccine from their school or GP surgery. Some children with certain long-term health conditions may need to have a 2nd dose 4 weeks later.
For more information on how to get your child vaccinated, please contact your local GP surgery or local Family Hub.
Are there any children who should not have the nasal spray flu vaccine?
Most children who are eligible for a flu vaccine can have the nasal spray.
But some children may be offered the injected flu vaccine instead if they:
- Are under 2 years of age
- Have had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis (external link)) to a previous dose of the nasal spray vaccine
- Have had a serious allergic reaction to an ingredient in the nasal spray vaccine, including gelatine, neomycin or gentamicin
- Have a severe egg allergy that's needed intensive care hospital treatment
- Have a severely weakened immune system, or live with someone who has a severely weakened immune system (for example, someone who has had a bone marrow transplant)
- Have asthma that's being treated with long-term steroid tablets or has needed intensive care treatment in hospital
- Have had a flare-up of asthma symptoms in the past 72 hours, including wheezing or needing to use a reliever inhaler more than usual
- Are having salicylate therapy
What to do in my child contracts flu?
Flu is very infectious and easily spread to other people. You're more likely to give it to others in the first 5 days.
Flu is spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.
To reduce the risk of spreading flu:
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (if you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow, not into your hand)
- Bin used tissues as quickly as possible
- Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities.
For more information on flu, please visit Flu - NHS (external link).